Jeffrey Epstein will no doubt go down as one of history’s most notorious sex criminals, preying on vulnerable young women.
However, while up until this point a picture has been painted of a man who used and abused teenage girls, testimony provided during the trial of his longtime confidant and accused accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, underscores that twisted financier may have been even more infatuated with children than we realized.
Brace yourself — this is highly disturbing, even for an Epstein story.
A woman using the pseudonym “Kate” took the stand on Monday morning, who, according to Reuters, is the second of four women listed in the indictment against Maxwell. Because she was 17 at the time of her reported sexual encounters with Epstein, above the relevant age of consent, the jury was instructed to consider that she had not engaged in “illegal sex acts” with the now-deceased pervert.
While the Times reported that was some disagreement between prosecutors and Maxwell’s attorneys over whether “Kate” could be considered a victim when she says she was lured into Epstein and Maxwell’s clutches, her story nonetheless paints a picture of a man who decidedly enjoyed at least the idea of sexual acts with children.
“It follows that Ms. Maxwell’s role in grooming Kate to engage in sex acts with Mr. Epstein was a part of, and therefore constitutes evidence of, the conspiracy charges against Ms. Maxwell,” prosecutors have written in court documents, according to The New York Times, and have noted that Kate was still a minor when she was allegedly groomed by Maxwell and Epstein.
Whatever the legal technicalities, it’s clear that “Kate,” who said she was initially “exhilarated” by Maxwell’s friendship when she was promised help with her aspiring music career, was clearly taken advantage of and fetishized for her youth.
The New York Post reported Monday morning that Kate testified she was instructed by Maxwell to don a schoolgirl outfit to serve Epstein at his Palm Beach mansion and was once even told she was “such a good girl” after the twisted pedophile appeared to be pleased with her, um, “services.”
Kate said that she met Epstein and Maxwell in Paris in the early 1990s and was instructed to provide sexual massages to Epstein first in Maxwell’s London mansion before later engaging in sexual acts with him in his own notorious Florida property as well.
Maxwell, who is standing trial for sex trafficking and sexual abuse, has long been accused of recruiting and grooming young women and girls for Epstein to abuse and even, at times, abusing them herself.
In London, Kate was led to a massage room by Maxwell in the socialite’s London home, where the accused madame told her to “have a good time” as she opened to the door to reveal a nude Epstein, ready for his (ugh) service.
When the encounter concluded, Maxwell told Kate that she was “such a good girl” and that she was “so happy you were able to come.”
Kate noted that Maxwell “sounded really pleased.”
In Palm Beach, Kate arrived to visit the notorious power couple to find a schoolgirl outfit laid out for her on a bed, complete with pleated skirt, white socks, and a shirt.
Maxwell told her she thought it would be “fun” for Kate to bring Epstein his tea in the outfit.
Given what’s well known about the relationship between Epstein and Maxwell — that she played the role of Epstein’s procurer for more than a decade, it’s a fair conclusion that Maxwell didn’t just think the school uniform would be “fun” on her own. She knew it’s what Epstein wanted.
According to the Post, Kate testified that she was then given a tray to bring Epstein his tea, where he then engaged in sex acts with her by the pool.
Last week, an accuser identified as “Jane” testified that Maxwell and Epstein had also appealed to her creative aspirations, playing the chums and even paying for music lessons before they began to sexually abuse her.
There is no doubt that Epstein has consistently been accused of preying on young, vulnerable, and easily influenced women.
And while Kate’s disturbing testimony is in line with this theme, it makes it clear that he wasn’t simply interested in young, underage women.
He was seemingly interested in girls, and according to her account, enjoyed the impression that he was being waited on.
Epstein’s alleged victims have often been referred to as his “sex slaves.”
I don’t think it’s ever been clearer that that’s exactly what they were.